Exchanging Greetings

   I waited a moment while Harald just stared at me. We didn’t have the luxury of having indoor places to wash up. We had a small washroom with a toilet, but otherwise we would go wash up in the river.

   Harald burst out laughing, making my ears face down and my face turn red with embarrassment.

   “Here,” Harald said, going over to the tub. He pointed at the two handles on either side of the pipe over the edge of the tub. “The one with the red dot is for hot water. The one with the blue dot is for cold water.” He turned the handle with the red dot, water gushing out of the faucet and into the tub. “Add one of theses and ta-da!” He tossed a small circular thing into the water, and bubbles and foam started to appear.

   My eyes sparkled as I watched in amazement and I heard Harald chuckle a little.

   “Pull out the stopper at the bottom of the tub when you’re done and all the water will drain,” he explained.

   I put my hand in the water, pulling it out immediately at how hot it was. I shut the water off, making Harald laugh.

   “There’s more soap for you to use on those shelves,” he said, pointing at the four shelves next to the tub. “Call me if you need anything.” He walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

   I turned the other handle, cold water pouring into the tub. I tested the temperature, trying to get it as close as the normal river water I was used to.

   After I shut the water off and the tub was full, I shed the clothing I was wearing. I didn’t realize how dirty and beaten up they had gotten until I took everything off.

   I didn’t realize how dirty I was until I was staring at myself in the mirror.

   Dirt was caked on my hands and under my nails, some patches on my neck and shoulders as well. My tail was messy and clearly not taken care of, which I internally apologized to my mother about.

   As I stepped into the lukewarm water in the tub, I exhaled happily, submerging my entire body in the water. All my worries seemed to disappear as I soaked in the tub. I was able to scrub the dirt off easily with the soapy water, my entire body feeling refreshed when I stepped out of the tub to wrap a towel around my waist. I pulled out the stopper like Harald said, and the water slowly began to drain out of the tub.

   The old servant uniform was a little big on me, but it was better than the old clothes I was wearing. Hopefully I’d get something else to wear soon.

   I opened the bathroom door to see Harald sleeping with a book on his stomach. I went over to my bag that Harald put on his desk chair, and I fished out a comb.

   Sitting on the bathroom counter, I used the comb to brush my tail until it was silky smooth. Yawning, I blew out the lanterns in the bathroom before climbing onto the empty bed. Harald had placed a couple blankets on top, and I used them to wrap myself into a small nest. It was warm, and I quickly found myself fall asleep.

   For the first time in two weeks, I didn’t have a single nightmare.

   I woke to the sound of water running in the bathroom. Rays of sunshine were shining through the window, and I saw Harald’s bed empty.

   I snuggled against the blankets some more, only for my ears to twitch at the sound of footsteps in the hallway. I sat upright when they stopped in front of the door, a pounding knock following right after.

   “Harald!” Edgar called, continuing his aggressive knocking. “Harald are you awake?”

   “Calm down,” Harald said, opening the bathroom door, rubbing his face with a towel. He wore his knight uniform pants and boots, but didn’t have a shirt on. I noticed a few scars on his back as he opened the door for Edgar.

   “I’m here for the brat,” he said, peering into the room passed Harald’s large frame. Today he wore dark robes with a gold pin on the front.

   “Did the lil’ miss tell you to come get him?” Harald asked, letting Edgar in and closing the door. He walked into the bathroom as Edgar came over and picked up my bag.

   “It’s time to go,” Edgar said, grabbing my wrist.

   “Don’t touch me, human!” I exclaimed, slapping his hand away. I beared my fangs at him, and Edgar just frowned.

   “I hate this just as much as you do,” he started, “but Luella is asking me to bring you to her chambers as soon as possible. Something about needing your signature to enroll you into Gruteth Academy.”

   “What?” Harald exclaimed, emerging from the bathroom, this time with uniform shirt and vest on. “That’s awesome! I bet you’ll be able to use that sword for real when you get there.”

   “That is exactly why you need to come with me now,” Edgar said, raising his hand. He closed his eyes for a moment, and I knew he was probably casting the same magic that Luella did the previous night. I jumped off the bed, grabbing my sword and bag from Harald’s desk.

   “Thank you, Harald,” I said as we walked to the door.

   “See you around, lil’ guy,” he said, reaching forward. I remembered he couldn’t see me, so I tapped my head against his outstretched palm. I received a gentle pat on the head from him.

   I smiled, and followed Edgar out of the room. We left the building, and headed to the main entrance of the castle. I admired the tall ceilings and limited decorations on the walls as we made our way deep into the castle. The number of maids and servants decreased while the number of guards at every corner increased.

   “We’re here,” Edgar said, stopping at a set of doors. He knocked three times before saying, “I’ve brought him, Your Highness.”

   “Enter,” Luella called from the other side of the doors.

   Edgar opened the doors, and I followed him inside.

   To the left was a small table and two couches facing each other. A floor to ceiling bookcase occupied the rest of the left wall. A matching bookcase was on the right wall, but stopped before the corner where a red, velvet curtain hung. Across from where I stood, Luella sat at a desk, books and papers stacked on either side of her. Behind her was a wall of floor to ceiling windows, one of which opened onto the balcony.

   “Thank you, Edgar,” Luella said, putting her pen down. “Please return to your duties.”

   Edgar bowed, waving his hand at me before leaving.

   “There you are,” Luella said, looking at me. “How was your first night in the castle?”

   I thought for a moment. “I learned how to use indoor water.”

   Luella blinked before laughing loudly. I shrunk away from where I stood, but Luella waved her hand.

   “I apologize for laughing,” she said. “I did not you didn’t know how to use indoor plumbing. There is still much to learn about how half-beasts live.”

   “What did you need to speak to me about?” I asked.

   Luella’s eyes drifted to my sword, and it suddenly felt heavier at my side. “I want to enroll you in Gruteth Knight Academy here in the capital. The new term starts next week, and I believe it will be a good way for you to understand and immerse yourself in human culture and how we live.”

   I swallowed. “But I’m a half-wolf.”

   “Yes. And? You want to become a skilled fighter and the fastest way to do that is to become a knight.”

   “I lack communication skills and am not very good at reading and writing.”

   “I have someone who can help you cover the basics in a week.”

   There was a knock on the door.

   “Enter,” Luella called.

   The door opened and a middle aged man walked inside. His eyes widened when he looked at me, but walked over to stand next to me. His chocolate hair was a bit long, tied up in a short ponytail. He wore fairly expensive clothes, making me think he was a nobleman.

   As soon as he saw me, I noticed something changed in his eyes. It was something I saw in the eyes of the hunters the night they stormed my hometown.

   Greed.